Earnslaw in a Day
A trip report of climbing Mt Earnslaw in a day & top tips for adventurous trampers keen to tackle this summit!
I woke up at 4am, bleary-eyed but excited for the adventure ahead. My hiking buddies Jason, Jenna and I were determined to tackle Mt Earnslaw in a day. Excited for sore legs, cold feet, and a long continuous climb, we crawled out of our tents with one brain cell awake between us.
The Rees river never fails to wake up bleary trampers though, and we were faced with a freezing thigh high river crossing to start the day. There is always something comforting about slogging up and down the Rees in the dark, jumping every time your head torch beam catches the stare of the valleys many cows.
It’s a rule to never take the same route through the Rees, and this chilly morning we opted for a central line to ensure that we optimised the number of waking up (i.e. icey) river crossings. After an hour our legs were thoroughly frozen, and we finally began the climb up towards Kea basin. We’d just passed the first rock biv when the sun truly began to rise and we could turn our head torches off. We decided to pause for a quick snack, and I refuelled with delicious roam energy chocolate nut butter as we watched the peaks of Aspiring national park turn golden.
As we climbed higher the scenery only became more stunning. We passed beautiful glacial blue pools, the rock became verglassed, and we popped on crampons to cross the glacier before the col. The summit pyramid up from the col is definitely the most challenging section of this climb, and I’d recommend that everyone take a helmet and crampons up as the conditions are getting increasingly mixed. The typically straightforward rock scramble took a little longer than normal as we had to navigate patches of ice and snow, and the change from 300m to 2800m was taking it’s toll by the final summit slog where we all suddenly found breathing a little harder than usual.
We began our descent at 1:15pm and finally reached the valley floor just before sunset, getting to stare up at Earnslaw as it glowed pink for the second time that day. The trudge out the Rees always feels longer than the walk in, and we soon started fixating on the idea of a Queenstown kebab to motivate our pace. It was with great relief and also great anticipation of a warm meal that we completed the last freezing river crossing and eagerly started the drive towards dinner. The day took us 15 hours total, covered 34km, and 2,500m of elevation.
If you're an adventurous hiker looking for a challenging tramp with breathtaking views, then climbing Mt Earnslaw is an experience you won't want to miss. But be prepared for a difficult hike with significant elevation gain. The majority of trampers attempt Earnslaw across 2-3 days, staying at either the kea basin rock bivs or Esquilant biv located in the col. Esquilant is definitely one of the most stunning huts in New Zealand, with views out across the dart valley, and I’d definitely recommend staying here to watch the sunset from above - although be prepared to take a tent and sleeping mat, as this small six bunk hut often gets very full on the weekends!
Here’s a breakdown of the Earnslaw track for all those adventurous hikers keen to give it a go:
Hike 8km up the Rees. You want to follow the 4wd track for the fastest travel, and the strava heat map function will give you a good idea of exactly where other people go. Be prepared for multiple river crossings up to thigh deep, unless the river is in flood none of these will be particularly fast flowing but it’s a good idea to choose your crossing point carefully and have a buddy with you.
The turn off for the kea basin track is marked by a sign and an orange triangle. It is slightly into the trees and you have to cut across the valley and up a grassy bank before reaching it. The track is marked on the NZ topo50 so it’s a good idea to have your phone or GPS out to avoid overshooting this - especially if you are hiking in the dark.
There is a clear track marked with orange triangles that will take you up to Earnslaw hut and the first rock biv. Beyond this point the track is still well trodden but becomes a lot easier to loose, look out for orange tape tied around the bushes and cairns to make sure you’re on the right track.
You travel up the ridge on the north side of Kea basin for 500m of elevation following cairns and a trodden track through scrub / tussock, this is pretty steady elevation gain and probably some of the quickest travel of the day. The track crosses a stream at around 1900m which is the last water source before the snow slopes and glacial streams below the birley.
This track will lead you to a short scree slope that gives way to rock slabs and ledges. These slabs are not technical however it can be easy to get bluffed out if you are off track, so keep an eye out for cairns and make sure you are picking your route carefully. If anything looks too scrambly or steep you are probably heading the wrong way!
The glacier is normally easy travel, and very few parties rope up for it. However it is still on a steep side ways angle so make sure you have crampons and an ice axe, and be sure to assess conditions - if there has been recent snowfall early in the season you should be wary of snow bridges and consider bringing a rope! While you’re gearing up here you should pop on a helmet and also a few layers, as the col tends to be a wind funnel and it can get quite chilly even on a sunny day!
Esquilant biv has no water supply and in late summer there might not be a drip if the snow slopes have dried out, and there is also very little to no water on the summit route in summer. Bring extra gas and be prepared to boil snow. The biv also tends to get very full on weekend nights as there are only 6 bunks, bring your own sleeping mat and bivy bag or tent and make use of the stacked rock wind breaks around the hut.
Head to the centre of the col where there is a large cairn, and then make your way up the scree slope towards the bluffs. These look a little daunting from below but there is a very doable path marked by cairns all the way through them and a fixed rope in place half way up the summit pyramid for the most interesting move. There is a bit of scrambling and exposure involved in this last section, but the cairns take away the challenging route finding through the bluffs, making this a great first mountaineering trip for trampers looking to get a bit more adventurous!
Gear tips: you can do the whole climb in trail runners / tramping boots summer to autumn; strap on crampons and a light axe are normally needed for crossing the birley glacier; pop a helmet on once you join the rock and snow slopes above kea basin as your brain is always worth protecting and there is rock fall; bring your own sleeping mat as a spot at Esquilant is never guaranteed; a bivy bag or bothy bog goes a long way if you end up without a spot in the hut and can also help keep you warm and dry in the kea basin rock bivs; layers and hard-shells are essential for wright col as it is a super chilly wind funnel; a walking pole goes a long way for helping out your knees with this much elevation / descent.
Thank you to Roam for fuelling this climb with their energy nut butters! These were quick and easy to consume, energy dense, and actually tasty - whilst also being made in New Zealand with all natural plant-based ingredients! Top tip: keep the nut butter sachets in your chest pocket to make sure they’re warm and easy to consume even in cold temps and at high elevation.